The use of bed rails has long protected the occupant of a bed from leaving or falling out of the bed, thus preventing injury. In the past, such devices have often consisted of two separate, parallel guard rails or side panels that are affixed parallel to the direction the bed. Hereinafter, the direction of the bed is defined as the direction from the head of the bed (where the occupant normally places his or her head), to the foot of the bed (where the occupant's feet rest). The two guard rails are each typically affixed to foot members that are designed to be inserted under a side edge of the bed mattress or sleeping surface. The foot members are typically inserted between a box spring and mattress, although they may be, alternatively, clamped to the bed frame, or bolted to other rigid members of the bed. Often, the foot members (which are spaced-apart in a direction parallel to the direction of the bed and which extend perpendicular to the direction of the bed) have had rubberized, relatively high surface friction ends, which are intended to develop friction between the mattress and/or box spring. In that manner, the foot members are intended to serve as anchors to keep the side guard rails firmly in place. Although the intent of such friction enhancement devices is to inhibit slippage of the foot members as against the bed parts (mattress, box spring, and the like), their advantages are negligible. In fact, the friction enhancement devices, for example, rubberized or ribbed bearing feet, are not adequate to keep the feet from becoming dislodged from the interface between the mattress and box spring. When the feet become so dislodged, they can slide out from between the mattress and box spring, and in turn, the side panels or guard rails pull away from the surface (for example, the sleeping surface) of the bed. When the side panels pull away from the sleeping surface, the occupant can fall out of bed, or even worse, can become wedged between the side panel and the bed itself--which can lead to severe injury or even death due to strangulation or from the fall.
Devices that rely on such foot members are therefore objectionable because they frequently fall out when pressure is applied to the side panels, for example, when a child rolls into the side panels during the night.
In addition, fixed rail systems that use clamps or bolts are cumbersome, and inhibit the making of beds, are difficult to install, and are unsightly. A need exists for a simple and compact bed rail which is more secure than that which is common with the prior art, with minimal possibility of accidental removal.